Chapter 22 Dreka
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dreka
Some months later
“A girl?” My father frowned in annoyance.
I laughed deeply because I knew he wanted me to be pregnant with a boy. “Yes, Dad!”
“And they’re absolutely sure? Are they competent?” He examined the sonograms again.
My mother hugged me tightly. “I’m happy as long as baby girl is healthy!”
“Me too,” Xy’s mom hugged me next and then kissed my cheek.
“Me three!” Vani squealed with excitement. “I get to dress her like her Auntie Vani!”
Jah, Rae, and Ken all took turns coming to hug me and Xy to congratulate us. Makenna instantly started yapping about how she was buying her niece a pink G-Wagon for her 16th birthday, making us laugh.
“We should get a second opinion,” my dad continued to protest, making the room bounce with more laughter.
“Giulio,” my mom slapped his arm with a smirk.
Tossing the sonograms on the table, he looked over at Xyleek. “You know this is your fault, right?”
“How?”
“This is your karma. The story goes, ‘a man who is a player and master manipulator ends up with daughters so he can get a taste of his own medicine.’ You’re not gonna like it when someone does the same shit you did to her,” he pointed at me with his cigar. “To your own daughter.”
The lively room immediately went silent, and I let out a low groan while closing my eyes.
Xyleek’s past wasn’t a secret, hell, the whole world knew, but as a now married couple, I didn’t want to keep talking about it.
When I said I do at the altar, that also meant I forgive, and I forget.
Our marriage was the start of something new, and while I knew my dad had good intentions, now wasn’t the time.
“Daddy,” I whined, shaking my head. “Please.”
“I’m just saying,” his hands went up in surrender. “Harmless joke.”
My mom reached across the table and squeezed Xy’s hand. “Congratulations, Xy. I think you’ll be a great father.”
“Thank you. That means a lot.”
Studying Xy’s face, it was obvious he was trying his hardest not to react or say something slick in response to my father.
It was in his nature to do so, but he really had been changing and showing more restraint in a lot of areas of his life.
His thumb was tapping against the side of his leg, which was one of his nervous ticks.
Most people probably didn’t notice that about him, but I did.
That’s how I knew my dad’s ‘harmless’ joke was anything but harmless in the moment.
I slid my hand over and touched his leg.
He didn’t pull away, but his body was still tense as hell, and I felt bad for him.
The Xyleek sitting next to me wasn’t the man who played games and treated my heart like a revolving door anymore.
The man sitting next to me was my husband, the father of my baby girl, my heartbeat, and the man who had been putting in that work to be better.
His eyes were glued to the table like if he looked up, he was gon’ let my father have it.
My dad said something else under his breath, and I watched Xy’s Adam’s apple bob up and down while his jaw muscles flexed intensely.
It was almost like I could see inside of Xy’s mind, and I saw the insecurities swirling around in his head that told him he wasn’t good enough for me or that he wasn’t worthy of anyone’s trust or forgiveness.
I hated that for him, and even when I squeezed his leg to try and get him to look at me, he didn’t.
Today was supposed to be a happy day. A day for us to reveal the gender of our little one to the people who meant the most to us.
I didn’t want an extravagant gender reveal because a lot of people didn’t even know I was pregnant.
I had deactivated all my personal social media accounts, only keeping my business one, obviously for business purposes.
Xy wanted to keep this time in our life private, and I agreed with that decision wholeheartedly.
We had been in total bliss…until this very moment.
“Hey,” I tried to get his attention with another squeeze.
His eyes slowly shifted over to me, and my heart split right down the middle. The look in his eyes wasn’t even anger or irritation, he was hurt, and that hurt me.
“You’re okay,” I soothingly told him. “I love you, Xy.”
He nodded once, but it was clear he was completely bothered, so I stood to my feet. “Come with me outside.”
“Honey,” my mom eyed me. “You alright?”
“Yeah. Me and my husband need some air,” I pulled on Xy’s hand, forcing him to stand and follow me out to the patio.
I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tight. The second our bodies melted into one another, then I felt the tension seeping out of him. His hands went to my lower back as he held me with that same possession and protection he always had.
“I’m straight, Angel,” he breathed into the crook of my neck.
“You’re lying, Xy. I could see it in your face at the table.
What my father said in there wasn’t a harmless joke.
And I just want you to know I see you, okay?
” Leaning back slightly, I locked eyes with him.
“I see how much you’ve changed and matured and calmed down.
I see how much you love me without over doing it.
I see how you make sure we’re in the same bed every single night.
Baby, you don’t even go to sleep unless you’re sure I’m okay.
You wake up early just to get me a bath ready and talk to our daughter,” I took his hands and placed them on my stomach.
“You’re not the man you used to be, and you should be proud of yourself for that.
Don’t listen to my dad. You’re going to be the perfect example for her of how a man should treat a woman. ”
His eyes softened and a small smile formed on his lips as his thumbs brushed against the fabric of my dress. “You really think so?”
“Nope. I know so. Your daughter is going to know that she came from a man who loves her mother with his entire spirit. I know you’re not perfect, Xy, and I don’t need you to be.
I’ve watched you over this last year unlearn everything that fucked us up in the past so that you can keep doing better.
The only thing she,” I gestured to my belly.
“…is going to see is her father treating her mother with respect, kindness, and complete devotion. It doesn’t matter what you did in the past, she’s not gon’ know about it. ”
“What if she Google us or something?”
I giggled at his thought process. “I don’t think it’ll matter because all she will know is what she’s seen in our household, right? Keep being this man right here, and no amount of Googling is gon’ make her look at you any differently. You’ll still be her dad, the greatest man in the world.”
“I’m so fuckin’ glad I married you, Angel,” he leaned down and pecked my lips a few times.
“I know,” I winked with a smirk.
Hearing the sliding doors open, we both turned our heads in that direction and saw my dad walking out. My antennas stood up, but I noticed the regretful look on his face, which was a first for him. Giulio Lombardo didn’t do regret.
“Xyleek…Dreka…”
“Dad,” I countered, placing my hands on top of Xy’s because I felt him tense up again.
“I realize that what I said was inappropriate for the occasion,” he ran his fingers through his thick hair.
“I…I wasn’t trying to slight you, son. I spoke out of habit and emotion, and it was wrong,” he stepped closer towards us, releasing a sigh.
“You have to understand, Xy, that I’ve spent years worrying about Dreka.
I don’t have to worry anymore, and I have to get my brain to remember that.
I know you’re changing and improving. Dreka seems happier than she’s ever been, and I respect that and the marriage.
What happened in there was a slip of the tongue but make no mistake about it, I’m very happy for both of you.
I still wish my first grandchild could be a boy,” he playfully scoffed, causing us to laugh.
“But I’m over the moon about being a grandfather.
Congratulations,” he extended an open hand in Xy’s direction.
X glanced at me, and I nodded slightly, so he shook my father’s hand and then Giulio pulled him into a manly hug. I don’t know why I started tearing up seeing them hug it out. Actually, I do know why I had tears in my eyes. This damn baby.
“Today is a beautiful day, so let’s not let my mouth ruin it,” he chuckled, releasing Xy from his grip.
Sharing knowing glances between each other, Xy and I exhaled at the exact same time. I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed mine right back. It was our secret signal to each other that everything was all good.
“Come, let’s go back inside. Both of your mothers have whipped out their iPads and are searching for venues for the baby shower.”
“Oh nooo,” I whined, heading back inside immediately.
I didn’t want a large, lavish baby shower, but Joanna, Jewel, Makenna nor Rae wanted to hear it.
They promised to hire the best security and make it a no phone’s shower to prevent anyone from taking pictures and leaking them to the media.
I really was trying to be on my Kylie Jenner shit and pop out with a pregnancy announcement along with a picture of baby girl’s foot or something.
Seeing how excited they were to do this for me, I caved and agreed to let them handle all the details.
My dad gathered the men and took them out to the patio to smoke and talk while us ladies retreated to the great room. We were all buzzing with excitement, knowing we were welcoming a new princess into the empire.
“Have y’all thought about names?” Rae questioned while Joanna and Jewel ohh’d and ahh’d over whatever was on their iPads.
“Not really. He only said he wanted it to be a junior if it was a boy. We didn’t really cross into the girl name territory, but I’m sure we’ll talk about it now that we know.”
“Wellllll… I think Makenna is a perfectly good name. Only the best for my niecey,” she laughed while rubbing my belly.
“Oh baby you played! Her name should be Raven,” Rae pitched her name next. “’Cause what does Makenna even mean?”
Ken stuck her middle finger in the air. “Girl, fuck you!”
“Ken!” My mother chimed in. “Watch your mouth around my granddaughter.”
“Damn right!” Jewel added.
We all fell out laughing, and as I looked around the room at them, I felt so grateful and blessed. They were my village, and how lucky was I to have so many people who cared about me and my child.
I spent another two and half hours listening to the moms go in on this baby shower planning business before I got tired.
The men hadn’t come back in, so I sent Xy a text, requesting that we leave so that I could swing by my shop real quick before we went home.
After we said our goodbyes, we got in the car and headed over to my place of business.
It had been thriving ever since the re-model after Xy’s fuck buddy tore it up, so I guess I should be thanking her.
Too bad the bitch was dead. I had been contemplating opening another location just for the maintenance side of things because the way this business was packed out every day didn’t make no sense.
“What you want for dinner, Angel?” Xy asked the minute we parked in the driveway.
Bouncing my eyebrows, I reached over and placed my hand in his lap. “You.”
“Ever since you got pregnant, bae, you been overly freaked out. I ain’t mad at it though,” he chuckled, grabbing my hand and placing soft kisses to the back of it. “But for real. I gotta feed my daughter, so what you want? You want me to cook, or you wanna do take-out?”
I pouted but not because I was mad. “See? That right there is how I know you’re going to be an amazing father. She’s not even here yet, and you still tryna make sure she’s getting what she needs while she’s in here,” I touched my belly.
“Of course. That’s my baby, and you my baby, so Ima take care of both of y’all. Figure out what you want by the time we get to the front door.”
Sucking my teeth and laughing, I watched him as he hopped out then came to my side to help me out as well. “Chinese,” I told him.
“You gon’ have our baby coming out looking Asian as fuck. You always want Chinese, ma.”
“It’s not my fault Chinese is always good,” I snickered as we walked inside, but I paused before we walked further. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“I know my dad’s comment really bothered you and—”
“Oh, nah, we straight,” he kissed my forehead. “We talked in-depth while we were out on the deck, and I know where he’s coming from. But he also knows where I’m coming from now, so I think we seeing each other in a whole new light.”
Cupping his face, I lightly brushed my thumb back and forth. “The old you would’ve flown across that table.”
“The new me would’ve too,” he grinned. “I just respect you too much to still be doing dickhead shit.”
“I love you, Mr. Chambers.”
“I love you more, Mrs. Chambers.”
We shared in a passionate kiss, and I felt like it was sealing in all the healing and love we had while keeping out all of the negativity.
Our story wasn’t pretty by far. When people talk about going through ups and downs, nah, we really went through the trenches.
I’m talkin’ ‘bout to hell and back, literally, but somehow our relationship survived the fire. And to a lot of people, the shit probably didn’t make sense but that’s okay.
It didn’t have to make sense to no one but me and my man.
We’d come so fuckin’ far, and in a world that was trying to break us, we stood stronger than ever.
The road ahead of us was long, and that was okay, I ran track in high school.
Xy was a football player. We were built for this shit.
The hard and soft days, the messy and healing parts, shit, the Chambers were built for forever. Point, blank, period.